February 09, 2013

Your Turn Now....

Life is so precious and it is wonderful if you can leave a mark in some way. Touch a few lives. Even unknowingly.

Here is a book full of inspiring real life incidents. For the young and the old. Instances that are extremely real and day to day. Things each one of us can do to make a difference.

The book Your Turn Now from Funokplease narrates stories of pure selflessness that add joy and even redeem others' lives.

From sharing a converstation with a watchman, to assisting a fallen passenger at a station, from helping the maid combat boredom with a surprise trip to the movies to ensuring foreign visitors are taken care of, from offering a bottle of water to a traffic policeman to proactively helping the elderly with heavy bags - this book has everyday instances and examples of ordinary people doing ordinary things with extraordinary implications.

Instead of accepting a thanks from the beneficiary, the movement urges you to give a blue card( also the sutradaar of the book) stating "your turn now". Thereby multiplying and spreading goodness all around.

While one can argue the need of a card, it does serve as an obvious reminder of a kind deed which you can do in turn for one you received, when the opportunity arises. This is bound to click with the younger kids.

The book also requests you to record and share your gestures of kindness, it explains how to order more blue cards. There are journal like sheets that kids can jot down their efforts in.

This book is a wake up call to action!

Anushka has also made her own set of cards after reading the book and is finding even more ways to help at home and at school!

Some behind the scenes notes:

- Since the movement began in 2009, Rushabh, the founder of the movement, had received
over 250 stories on the YTN website and facebook page.

- For designer Shraddha Pimputkar,
this book is her debut chlidrens' book. She has done a good job-

choosing a B&W doodle style - appealing to a wider age band.

- The book was launched at a fund-raising
event on 19th Jan where INR 1.6 lacs was raised for the NGO Vatsalya
Foundation that does work with underprivileged, homeless and vulnerable
street kids

- The music for the song got created while the composer was strumming/ repairing a broken guitar!!